Morley

Near the summit of Raton Pass in Las Animas County, Colorado, Morley spent the better part of a century serving two distinct purposes: first as a railroad stop when it came into being in 1878, then as a company town built around coal mining under the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. CF&I held the town for roughly fifty years, operating the mine and housing workers there until the operation became unviable.

When the mine shut down in 1956, the company demolished the town entirely, leaving little for visitors to find today. This is a place where the history is more present in the landscape's context — the pass, the geology, the old rail corridor — than in any standing structures. Those drawn to the remnants of Colorado's industrial past will find Morley a sobering example of how completely a company town could be erased once its economic purpose ended.

Access to the general area follows Raton Pass, but visitors should expect minimal physical remains on the ground. The site rewards historically curious travelers more than those seeking dramatic ruins.